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Friday, January 20, 2006

Friday Pet Blogging | Update on Milo

Whew! What a week we've had. Or, rather, what a week Milo has had. You may recall that we had to run Milo to the emergency vet last Thursday night (Jan. 12). He was blocked, and he had to be catheterized. He spent two nights with the catheter, one night at the emergency vet (V.E.T.S.) and then the next night at our regular vet's office in Doylestown.
Milo stayed at the Doylestown Animal Hospital for the whole weekend.
I did get to visit him on Saturday afternoon, just before the catheter was removed. He was happy to see me, but tired of being poked and prodded:

::: SIGH :::

Milo came home on Monday, January 16. Mrs. Brainwise swooped by on her way home from work. The PU surgery is not an option at this time because Milo's blockage -- or near blockage as the case had been prior to that weekend -- is always prefaced by some kind of infection. Usually a raging infection, in the words of our vet.
The antibiotic Clavamox is usually prescribed. And, in general, it does a good job of beating the infection back. But because the infection does return, often within mere days of finishing the Clavamox, it is now apparent that this antibiotic does not eliminate the source of the infection. Of course, to do that, we need to know the specific bug that is, ahem, "bugging" our boy. But efforts to culture the bacteria from samples have come up empty.
The thinking now is that the Clavamox beats the bacteria into a retreat, but then it lies low somewhere in Milo's body and waits for an opportune time to once again do its thing. In order to determine if this is the case, we need to take Milo to a radiologist for tests. But there is more than one way to do the screening, so we are waiting for our doc to speak with the local radiologist and choose the most effective test.
As I said, Milo came home on Monday night. And, as per usual, he has a two week prescription for Clavamox. And he was doing fine. Just fine.
But you knew there would be a wrinke, right?
Wednesday evening, I am on my way home following a chiro appointment, and I finally notice that Mrs. Brainwise has tried to call my cell phone no less than three times. I don't see a message indicator (not just yet, anyway), so I quickly return the call. I get Mrs. Brainwise on the line, and she says she is at the vet's office ... again. And she says a few other things rather quickly.
I am completely flummoxed ... because I have not listened to a message she left (and she thinks I have). Once I tell her that I only saw an indicator for three missed calls, and saw no message indicator, she briefly brings me up to speed before the doctor comes to speak with her.
Milo peed ... in the litter box (well, that's good) ... and there was some blood (what?! oh my gods!!).
She said he seemed fine afterward, and that there had been no straining or complaining when he was in the box. But she did call the vet (of course). When she supplied this latest news, the receptionist understandably told her to come on down. She did not have to bring Milo with her. But she was going to meet with Dr. Ran, who was probably going to change Milo's prescription. Mrs. Brainwise then had to get off the line because the vet was ready.
I got home before Mrs. Brainwise, and I saw Milo under the "living room" blanket -- something he rarely does, but he did seem to be a little chillier than his norm:

Milo: Still a sick boy

We do have a new prescription to fight the infection (the name escapes me). Now, instead of two pills per day, he needs to get two pills in the morning, and once again in the evening. No word yet on when the radiologist will be testing him.
He seems to be more or less OK. He is eating and drinking regularly. He is playing. He is not complaining, as far as we can tell (he is a quiet boy). The only issue since Wednesday is that he does not seem to have used the litter box at all yesterday. And he is regularly quite ... um ... regular.
Please, keep your fingers crossed for a positive, and healthy outcome.